The Real Folk Blues
by WingedCougar
Summary: Takes place right after the last two episodes of the series. If you havent seen them, DONT READ THIS. Faye goes to find Spike after he leaves, but what is left to find? More than she thought...
1. The Real Folk Blues

**[Author's note:]**  Hey everyone. I'm back with another fic (my second one! w00!), and this time, its Cowboy Bebop ^^ This is my first poke at anything touchy-feely, so be gentle. The only reason I really wrote this was because I couldn't help but notice how horrible and rushed the ending to Cowboy Bebop was! Honestly, I know Mr. Watanabe is more creative than that! –cough- Anywho, on with the warning…  
**[Warning:]** Touchy-feely stuff. Not to mention badly written touchy-feely stuff. Between Spike and Faye, of course. And like I said, **IF YOU HAVENT SEEN THE LAST TWO EPISODES, DO NOT READ THIS**. You'll be horribly lost! Rated for language and mushy…stuff.  
**[Disclaimer:]** I **don't** own Cowboy Bebop. If I did, this fic would be the ending. And Spike wouldn't wear so much. x3  
  


Now that's all said and done,

**3nj0y**.

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  Faye couldn't believe it. He had gone, just like that.  
  The only reason she had ever stayed in the Bebop had vanished, and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, she could do about it.  
  Spike was gone, and she hated him for that.  
  Hated him for leaving her alone, hated him for being so stubborn, hated him for going off to die. She knew Spike wouldn't come back, and the truth stung more than she could ever imagine.  
   A final tear ran down her cheek and fell to the floor with an echoing splatter. The silence around her was deafening, and it had shocked her into a daze.  
  _Damn him for leaving_, Faye thought, clenching her fists, _I couldn't care less. Just weight off my shoulders. That idiot couldn't do anything right anyways._

She pushed off the wall she was leaning against and headed to the garage of the Bebop to her ship, which Jet had proudly announced he had fixed.  
  Faye was going to find Spike, dead or alive.  
  "I'm leaving," Faye told Jet as she climbed into the cockpit of her ship and started it up.  
  Jet raised an eyebrow and tossed a wrench into the toolbox, "Where to?"  
  "I'm going to go hunt down a nightmare," she replied as the cockpit closed.  
  Jet blinked quizzically but shrugged it off. Faye was always one to come and go as she pleased, and there was no stopping her. Even if her motives weren't clear._  
_  After Faye flew her ship from the Bebop and tore through the night sky, she chided herself for trying to find the cool-headed bounty hunter. _I don't want to care_, she thought. _So why am I?_

  Faye wasn't even sure where Spike was. The only clue she had was Vicious and the building he was in at the time Spike had left. That much, she did know. But even if Vicious wasn't a lead, she would find Spike anyways, no matter how long it took.  
  She remembered the few minutes she had spent with him before he left…  
  "A long time ago, you told me to stop living in the past. But you're the one stuck in the past, Spike. Not me!" Her own words resounded hauntingly in her mind.  
  But then Spike had leaned so close to her, faces so near they almost touched. His proximity made her cower. Faye could even see her reflection in the tense brown eyes of the bounty hunter.  
  "I'm not going there to die," he had said, "I'm going there to see if I was ever really alive."  
  Faye felt her eyes narrow. She still couldn't figure out why he had said that. Spike's past was still unclear to her, and she wasn't about to be left with questions.  
  It was like a disease. She never gave up.  
  Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the building Vicious had been in. What was once a top quality building was now shattered.  
  Quickly, she landed her ship in front of the building and hopped out. The stillness in the atmosphere was anything but comforting.  
  Faye ran up to the glass doors, nearly tripping over her own feet more than once. The anxiety was swallowing her.  
   After she had burst through the glass doors and looked around, time froze.  
  Faye's breath caught in her throat and her vision became hazy with tears. She had spotted Spike, laying still on the large staircase with blood caked on his trench coat and face.  
  Faye staggered up the stairway, not wanting to believe he was dead. She thought she had prepared herself for the worse but, apparently, she hadn't.  
  She fell to her knees near Spike, tears streaming down her face and her green eyes full of anger and fear. For a moment, all she did was stare at the still body before her. That was really all she could do in this momentary stun.  
  "Spike…" His name fell from her lips as if it were something she had never known. A hesitant, staggering noise between snivels.  
  Faye diffidently turned Spike on his side and observed his face. It was emotionless and still, as if it were etched in stone.  
  This caused more tears to gather in Faye's eyes as she removed Spike's trench coat, only to reveal more bloodstains on his blue suit.  
   "You bastard," Faye muttered, "Why did you have to do this? Why did you have to die?"  
  Finally giving in to her emotions, she closed her eyes and lay down near Spike, her back facing him. Memories began to fade in and out of her mind like a suffering phantom.  
  The day she had first laid eyes on Spike in that casino, his childlike expression as he observed her card dealing with a sharp eye. And when she had been taken over by that so-called mind migration program…Spike had been the one to find her and stay by her side until she woke. Even when Jet brought that young girl to the Bebop from Mars….  
  "Think of us as fairy god parents, Faye. We got to save the princess." His words were so carefree…  
  Faye was surprised how warm Spike's body was against her back. For a dead person, the body heat seemed strange.  
  She shut her eyes tighter, draining them of the last of the burning tears and shivering as they fell onto the dusty ground beneath her.  
 Suddenly, Faye heard a faint rustle and then…

  She felt an arm wrap gently around her waist.  
  Faye's eyes opened quickly when she heard a familiar, low voice speak from behind her.  
  "You're like a kid after a nightmare, aren't you?"  
  


**To Be Continued…  
  
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3nd. **Well, there ya have it cowboys, Chapter 1. I know it's short and rushed and that I'm a hypocrite for sayin that the ending of CB was badly written, but, oh well. I'm not real sure where I'm goin with this, so if ya want ta see more…THEN REVIEW! I shall not post another chappie until I get some reviews x3 Later, cowboys.


	2. Friendly Nightmare

**[Author's Note]** Chapter Two! :D Cliffhangers are a bitch, eh? Thanks for all tha reviews guys ^^ For a minute there it makes me feel loved. Yea, weird, I know x3 SO Chapter One was real short…don't expect much on this one either. I'm thinkin about doin a lemon, but it would be a first, so I'm not sure I wanna ruin this fic just yet. Oh yes, and to the person who reviewed saying "You cant just make Spike come alive without talking about how his world has crumbled!"…-twitch- Well, buddy, I'M WORKIN ON IT. I just revealed he was alive, damnit! Anywho… On with the show!  
**[Warning]** Haven't seen the last two episodes of the series? Don't read the fic. It's so simple! C'mon guys, stop complainin about how confused yeh are when I say so many times not to read the fic unless you've seen them! Damn! X_x Anywho, more sickeningly mushy moments ahead…  
**[Disclaimer]** I don't own Cowboy Bebop. It would be nice, but I don't. You would look pretty stupid suing a 12 year old anyways.  
  
Now the moment you've been waitin for cowboys,  
**3nj0y.**   
  
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Faye gasped and turned around under the arm that had wrapped around her waist...

Only to find Spike staring back at her with his usual smirk. Although, his eyes seemed unnaturally soft.  
 For a long moment all she could do was stare in shock at him. The way his smirk brightened his dirty face seemed unreal.  
  "Like a kid after a nightmare," he continued in the same, low tone that echoed through the deserted building, "you came running for someone to comfort you. But I think it's rather pathetic when you seek comforting from a bloodied up bounty hunter." Spike's smirk widened into a smile.  
  Faye squirmed out from under Spike's arm and sat up, staring at him with tears gathering in her eyes and a smile creeping onto her lips…"You're…you're alive…."  
  "Yea, well, Fate's a bitch. It doesn't let me die, no matter how hard I try."  
  Faye helped the bounty hunter sit up and lean against a large chunk of stone. "Fate isn't ready for you to die. Nobody is. Not yet, anyways."  
  Spike groaned and held his bloody arm, wincing as his fingers ran over the wound. He tried to ignore the pain, however. For some reason, Faye seemed his main concern. She seemed apprehensive, which was….weird.

  "I just can't believe that you're alive. I…thought you were…dead…" She felt a tear stream down her face, and tried her best to hide it.  
  "So did I," Spike retorted.  
  Faye took a handkerchief from the pocket of her red jacket and absentmindedly began wiping the dirt and blood off of Spike's face.  
  Spike blinked. "Uh, yeah, thanks, Mom."  
  She held the handkerchief away from his face and glared at him. "Well, I could let the blood and filth permanently stain your face, not a problem for me."  
  Spike sneered. "Then continue."  
  Faye continued to wipe away at his face as he fidgeted like a child. "We were really worried about you. I could tell by the look on Jet's face he thought you were dead, too."  
  Spike glanced impassively up at Faye as she scrubbed at the scratch on his left cheek. "Why were you crying?"  
  Faye narrowed her eyes and lowered the handkerchief. "How did you…"

"I could hear you. Why were you crying? You can't tell me that you were worried. That isn't like you."  
  Faye looked at the ground. "I thought I lost a friend. It's not a good feeling. It's like someone is tugging ceaselessly at your heart and wont stop until tears are shed."  
  Spike smiled. "A friend? So you _were_ worried. There's something new."  
  Suddenly, Faye closed her eyes and threw her arms around his waist and buried her head in his suit. Spike let out a small gasp and looked down at Faye, taken aback with her sudden action.  
  "Of course you're my friend Spike," she said, her tears showing on the bounty hunter's blue suit, "Sure, we fought like cats and dogs, but you were still my friend. I just could take the fact that you might be dead. I've lost a lot in my life; my past, my hope, and I wasn't about to lose you!"  
  Spike's surprised expression faded into a soft, sympathetic one. His first reaction would've been to pull the woman into an embrace, but his own personality refused to let him do so. He figured just to let her continue, but not without a remark.  
  "Faye," he said almost in a whisper, "this isn't like you. What happened to the harsh, brash Faye I used to know?"  
  The female bounty hunter only hugged him tighter on his comment. "Shut up and let me finish!"  
  Spike blinked a few times in surprise, but then smiled. So, Faye was still there after all.  
  "Damnit, Spike! Why did you have to leave? Is it that you _want_ to die? You're such a jerk!"  
  Spike narrowed his eyes, and, listening to his soft side, wrapped his uninjured arm around Faye and held her close, resting his head on top of hers. There was nothing sexual behind the hug, however. It was merely one to comfort his comrade. But still, he didn't think they would _ever_ be this close, or that Faye would _ever_ be so worried for Spike's safety. He felt as if he had been thrown into a different world.  
  Time stood still for the next few moments. The sun was just rising behind the building, causing morning rays of sunlight to flood through the shattered windows into patches of light on the floor. Dust danced in the morning light, giving the whole scene a rather eerie feeling. Which really wasn't new for Spike or Faye. This _was_ their world.  
  
**To Be Continued…**  
  
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   **3nd**. Short and nauseatingly sweet. More to come, but you must review or no more chapters x3 It's such fun taunting you guys into reviewing :D  
  
  Angst fans, Rejoice! Conflict ahead!  
                                                         -WingedCougar    
  


	3. Cruel Game

**[Author's_Note]** Enter Chapter Three. Wow, guys, I cant believe tha reviews I'm gettin! -snuggs you all- You guys are so sweet ^_^ Anywho, this chapter is REALLY BAD and short. I'm currently suffering from major writer's block. But since some of you people don't know that patience is a virtue, ya'll have to do with this cruddy chapter.  
**[Warning]** Behold! Angst! And fluff! No see last 2 episodes or read last 2 chappies? No read. Bleh.  
**[Disclaimer]** Tell me, you idiots, how a 12 year old such as myself would own such an anime as Cowboy Bebop? For those of you lacking common sense, I don't own CB.  
**  
3nj0y.**  
  
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  Nightmares always put your emotions to the test. It's like a game of chess. If you make a wrong move, you're screwed; you're stuck there until you wake up. But…

 Sometimes waking up is harder than it seems.  
 Spike smiled against the top of Faye's head, who still held him in an almost uncomfortable embrace.  
  "Do you realize how ridiculous we probably look right now?" he said, closing his eyes.  
  "Oh, I can imagine. Shut up and don't ruin my soft moment. They don't come too often," Faye said, loosening her arms around Spike's waist once she felt blood on them.  
  "No arguments here."  
  Spike opened his eyes halfway and looked down at the woman that clung to his abdomen like an upset child. But when he looked down, it wasn't Faye he saw.  
  It was Julia.  
  His eyes instantly widened and his arm drew away from Faye. What had he just saw?  
  Feeling the bounty hunter's recoil, Faye pulled out of the embrace. She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head slightly. "Spike? What's wrong?"  
  Spike just looked at the woman like he had never seen her before. Like she wasn't even there; a phantom. The expression on his face was unreadable.

  He simply looked away, shutting his eyes so tight it hurt. This notion was preposterous, and the illusion was merely life's way of teasing him. An uncertain silence engulfed the scene, causing Faye's mind to burn for reasons she couldn't fathom.  
  She even began to stand up, feeling vague unease.  
  "Julia is dead." Spike's voice echoed through the building. It was not a statement that had escaped his lips…instead it was an ominous reassurance to himself. A reassurance.  
  Faye's eyes became blank. _What brought that up?  
  _"I'm…sorry…" was all she said in response, unsure of what to say.  
  Spike opened his eyes and stared soullessly at Faye. "Don't be. She seemed to be the root of all my problems before. Yet…" He lowered his chin into his chest. "…I loved her."  
  Faye felt her heart sink in sympathy. Spike's whole world was gone, and now its tugging on his mind again. Still, she said nothing. Hearing those words coming from Spike was very strange, and it made her worry.  
  "Love is stupid," Spike continued, "I never liked the whole idea. Seemed like such a waste of time, such a sickening emotion. I never knew what it was, either. And the lack of affection in my heart caused me to become desperate. And that's when I met her…the root of all my problems."  
  Faye nodded lightly. "Love _is_ stupid, Spike. That's for sure." She choked on her words slightly. Talking about such a topic with Spike was slightly uncomfortable.  
  "Maybe so," he said, a vague smirk returning to his face, "But it sure as hell feels good."  
  Faye mustered a smile. That bounty hunter sure did have a way of turning a conversation around. "Just another thing life destroys. Emotion is the first target. A target in the pointless game that Fate has so nicely set up for each and every one of us."  
  "But that's all this world is, Faye," Spike said back, "It's like a game of chess. One by one, your pieces are destroyed until there's only one piece left. What a feeling it is when your cornered after everything around you is torn away from the game."  
  Faye's smile widened into a slight grin. "Such a cruel game."  
  Spike leaned in closer to the woman across from him, so that his whisper could be heard.  
  
"A nightmare."  
  
  
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** 3nd**. Real short.  Okay, okay. Not as much conflict as I said. But the next chapter holds more than enough for the angst fans out there. So, be patient, cowboys. Review or no new chapter –grins-


	4. Lost and Found

[Author'sNote] Back with chapter 4. Yay. Just a note, there's only one more chappie I'm gonna do after this one on this fic. I AM SO SORRY that I didn't upload this sooner. Ive been super busy and haven't had time to work on this (because I was working on my uber long Trigun fic too.) Now, for all of you lemon fans, I'm not making this fic into a lemon. Sorry, but I couldn't write one even if I wanted to. For those of you who've read my Rurouni Kenshin one, you would understand XD Anywho, I just wanted to make a cute little Spike/Faye fic. So, no lemon. Gomen. And yes, the 'story' thing that Spike tells in this chapter was quoted from him, for those of you who didn't know. But the second part of his story I created.  
  
[Warning] This chapter contains....fluff! :D Yay!  
  
[Disclaimer] -insert witty disclaimer here- I don't own Cowboy Bebop, you morons.  
  
3nj0y.  
  
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Faye tried not to shrink back. Spike was close, almost to close, to her. Even after he finished whispering the words into her ear, Spike kept his head close to her's.  
  
This particular scenario seemed a bit too familiar. Why did she cower when Spike was close to her? Why did the bounty hunter's aurora just make her feel vulnerable?  
  
Faye nearly gasped when she felt Spike's arm wrap around her waist, but was even more taken aback when the messy-haired man took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. She could feel his icy gaze melt into the greenness of her own eyes.  
  
"Before I left," Spike began in a soft tone, "I told Jet a little story."  
  
Faye looked dubiously up at Spike. He merely smiled and began the 'story'.  
  
"It goes like this. There once was a tiger striped-cat. This cat died a million deaths and was reborn a million times. It was owned by various people who he didn't care for. The cat wasn't afraid to die. One day, the cat became a stray, which meant he was free. He met a white female cat and the two cats spent their days happily together. Years passed and the white cat died of old age. The tiger striped cat cried a million times, and then he died, too."  
  
Faye narrowed her eyes, understanding that he was talking about himself and Julia. But the reason he was telling her this, she could not fathom.  
  
"But you see, there's a second part to that story I didn't bother telling him." Spike's smile faded into a small grin, and he continued.  
  
"The tiger-striped cat never planned on coming back again. His whole world was gone, and it seemed futile to continue living in a deadened nightmare. But against his will, he came back to life. The tiger-striped cat spent hours trying to figure out why he came back until finally he realized why. He still had a future...his world still existed. Even though it was hidden, it was closer than he ever imagined."  
  
Faye just stared at Spike. Was he really saying what she thought he was? It seemed illusory...  
  
"The cat really didn't want to accept the fact that he once loathed his own hidden paradise, because it was against his personality to admit he missed out on it for such a long time. So this cat continued living as a stray, sifting through the ashes of his old life and digging up what was lost. But it looks like what he lost found him first."  
  
Without another word, Spike closed the gap between his and Faye's lips.  
  
Faye didn't exactly protest, either.  
  
For a somewhat brief minute, the two bounty hunters felt their minds become less weighted. Both of them had been waiting for this....for quite some time now.  
  
Although, no one knew that but them.  
  
Reluctantly, they parted, without getting too far into the kiss. This was Spike and Faye, after all.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Faye asked, smiling.  
  
Spike shrugged and smirked. "I guess you wouldn't believe me if I told you, so it doesn't really matter."  
  
Faye raised an eyebrow, getting up and helping Spike to his feet. He had really changed, but Faye couldn't really see how. She wondered if he only seemed different to her. "I'd believe you, just tell me," she retorted.  
  
Spike sighed and shrugged. "Alright. Well, I love you." He said it without any hesitation whatsoever. And this surprised him, but he remembered that he and Faye had been friends for a long while.  
  
And Faye? Well...she was....  
  
Red. Very red.  
  
"You're joking, right?"  
  
A small laugh escaped Spike's mouth. "See, told you that you believe me."  
  
Faye smiled, trying to stop blushing as she walked past Spike to the doors of the building, throwing his jacket at him as she went by.  
  
"C'mon you adorable idiot, let's go back to the Bebop."  
  
Spike limped after her, an impish smirk on his face. "Adorable idiot, huh?"  
  
"Don't push it, Spike. Let's go."  
  
Spike shrugged and followed the woman into her ship. "So, why did you come looking for me anyways?"  
  
Faye climbed into the cockpit of her jet, helping Spike up. "Well, I guess I love you, too."  
  
Not much was said after that. The ride back to the Bebop was all in an awkward silence. Faye was concentrating on her flying while Spike just looked out the yellow-tinted windows, grinning ear-to-ear.  
  
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3nd. Well, there you have it. Another crappy chapter done. This is actually the end of the story, but I plan on doing a prologue. Damn, this story went downhill fast. Review please! 


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